The development undertaken by Ferrari during the 2024 Formula 1 championship is fundamentally different from that of the previous season. In 2023, the Maranello team’s engineers and technicians quickly acknowledged the car’s issues, implementing corrective measures during the season to salvage a flawed project while exploring a new direction for the following year. Thus, the SF-24 was designed based on a new concept, more driver-friendly and focused on race performance rather than the one-lap pace in the qualifying session. The development of the 2024 car aims to refine a young and technically raw project, making the SF-24 increasingly complete and competitive, albeit with some setbacks along the way. Let’s take a look at the main aerodynamic updates developed in Maranello during the year.
A cautious start
In the early races of the 2024 Formula 1 season, Ferrari limited itself to circuit-specific adaptations while preparing the first major aerodynamic update package for spring. In the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit, a medium-downforce rear wing debuted, accompanied by a single-profile beam wing that appeared only during the third free practice session. In the Australian Grand Prix, minor tweaks were made, such as the addition of two flaps on the sides of the rear wing supports. Finally, in Japan, further adaptations were introduced for the beam wing and rear wing, along with new fairings on the rear suspension arms to better manage airflow around the gearbox and diffuser.
Imola
After a brief shakedown at the Fiorano circuit, the first major aerodynamic upgrade package for the SF-24 debuted in the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix weekend. A new floor design was introduced, with visible changes to the side edges. The bodywork was revised, featuring inverted side air intakes and deeper undercut sections under the sidepods to improve airflow toward the rear and increase local pressure, shielding the floor from turbulence.
The cooling system was also marked by key changes, with a new layout for the outlets on the engine cover and the sealing of the bypass duct exit behind the halo mounts. Additional updates included new fairings for the rear suspension arms and tweaks to the front wing flaps.
Monte Carlo
Ferrari returned to victory on the streets of Monte Carlo in the Monaco Grand Prix, with Charles Leclerc celebrating a historic home Grand Prix win. The result was aided by typical Monaco-specific adaptations, such as a high-downforce rear wing and similarly loaded beam wing.
Barcelona
Less than a month after the Imola package, the second evolutionary step for the SF-24 arrived with high hopes in the Spanish Grand Prix. A new floor design debuted, focusing on the diffuser and underside, with changes concealed externally. Further sculpting was done under the sidepods, along with refinements to the aerodynamic appendages around the halo. A new high-downforce package, including a rear wing and beam wing, also debuted.
Overall, the package increased aerodynamic downforce but exacerbated the bouncing and porpoising issues that had persisted since the start of the year. Ferrari conducted comparative tests with the old specification in Austria and England, seeking to address the issues through setup adjustments. Finally, at the Hungaroring circuit, a corrected version of the new floor debuted, keeping bouncing within acceptable limits.
Spa
As expected, Ferrari introduced the first adaptations for low-downforce tracks during the second half of the season in Belgium at the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps. The front wing featured less aggressive flaps, while a new single-profile beam wing appeared at the rear. The most significant update was the low-downforce rear wing, which reappeared at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.
Monza
The home race marked the debut of solutions to the bouncing issues amplified by the Barcelona aerodynamic package. Key updates were made beneath the floor, with visible changes to the outer edge suggesting evolution rather than revolution of the previous design. A new diffuser with a keel at the end of the central ramp was also introduced, along with tweaks to the bodywork. Ferrari celebrated another victory with Charles Leclerc, aided by a low-downforce package that included a rear wing, beam wing, and front wing flaps.
Singapore
At the night race, Ferrari introduced a new front wing initially scheduled for the United States Grand Prix in Austin, a month later. The wing featured significant changes to airflow distribution around the suspension arms and floor, with more loaded profiles in the central section compared to the edges. Notable work was also done on the junction between the flaps and the endplate, correcting vortex generation in this area to counteract turbulence from the front wheels.
Austin
The new wing from Singapore hinted at a more substantial package in Texas, but expectations were unmet. Ferrari instead focused on improving the front wing’s flexibility, considering the FIA’s decision not to modify deformation tests before the year’s end. “It’s not that we don’t bring updates just because we don’t announce them. What we declare are only changes to external shapes,” said Team Principal Vasseur after the victorious Austin weekend. His words highlight that observed updates represent only a fraction of the year’s overall development.
Las Vegas
In the Las Vegas Grand Prix weekend, the Ferrari engineers and technicians conducted initial tests with an eye toward 2025. During the first free practice session in Nevada, Carlos Sainz’s SF-24 car was equipped with a modified floor to verify wind tunnel correlation following recent upgrades to Maranello’s infrastructure. Ferrari aimed to gather data on floor behavior at minimal ground clearance near track surface contact. This floor was also used in Qatar and during Abu Dhabi’s Friday and test sessions. Described by Charles Leclerc as “a different approach,” the new specification aims to address chronic instability in long corners, an issue Ferrari plans to eliminate with its first car for Lewis Hamilton.
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